3063

April 8. Naples. Pope Alexander IV writes to the master and brothers of the Hospital of Jerusalem, relating that they had him informed that in order to defend the country and themselves from the pagan incursions they are maintaining a certain castle in the county of Tripoli (Tripolitanus) called Crac des Chevaliers (Cracum) to oppose the Saracens, with much labour, innumerable dangers, and great cost in face of the enemy. The castle is positioned almost in the midst of the perverse nation and infested with Saracens, however, so it requires great expense. Wishing to fortify it in such a way that it can be safe from attack, they propose to keep sixty horsemen there continuously for its defence. Because of the great cost, they asked the pope for relief. The pope therefore exempts them from paying tithes and first fruits on this castle and their neighbouring possessions present and future and on the possessions of the inhabitants, but they can keep what has been collected and what will be collected and use it for the maintenance of the castle. As a token of this concession, they shall pay the pope and his successors one pound of gold annually.